EVOKING THE ESSENCE OF CRICKET LOVE THROUGH FICTION

Author Interview: T. Sathish

T. Sathish lives in Chennai, is an IIM Calcutta alumnus and works in Cognizant Technology Solutions. He is an avid sports fan and a writer. He has recently come out with the book “Life in the Sunshine: Autobiography of an Unknown Cricketer”. In a candid chat with Chirdeep Malhotra, he talks about his latest book, his writing journey, his favourite books and authors, and much more.


Please tell us more about T. Sathish as a person.

I am an IIM Calcutta alumnus and a Director in Cognizant Technology Solutions. I am an avid sports fan, bibliophile and a part time writer. I write columns in the Cricket section of the www.worldinsport.com, an online sports magazine. “Life in the Sunshine” is my debut full length novel. The book was ranked #1 Best Seller in Cricket on Amazon. I have also published short stories named ‘Am I Free?’ (Was showcased on Juggernaut’s home page as a Free Short Story) and ‘Hang in there’ on the Juggernaut publishing’s digital writing platform (www.juggernaut.in).
I am an avid reader of eclectic topics. PG Wodehouse, RK Narayan, Agatha Christie, Mary Shelley, Bill Bryson, Joseph Heller, Nassim Taleb are some of my favourite authors. I live in Chennai with my extended family.


Has writing always been a part of your life? Or did you chance upon it later on and then instantly fell in love with it?

Reading has been a part of my life, in some form or fashion. But writing was not that big. Having said that, I used to regularly blog on Cricket and got one of the articles published in The Hindu as well. Writing stories is definitely something that I took up recently.


Can you tell us more about your book “Life in the Sunshine”?

Life in the Sunshine is a light hearted popular fiction novel. It traces the lives of three young boys and their special relationship with Cricket. They grow up wanting to make their life around Cricket. How Cricket plays a big role in their progress in life and what it teaches them in the journey is the story.


How has the response of readers been to your book?

The response has been very good from the readers. The book was #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Cricket. The book has garnered 4/5 ratings in both Goodreads and Amazon with close to 200 ratings. Overall for a self-published book, I am very happy with the sales and the appreciation the book has garnered.


This book is a fiction based on the subject of cricket. How did the idea of writing on this theme come about?

When I started to think of writing, Cricket was my obvious choice. This is a subject that I know well. However, I wanted to write a book not about Cricket or about famous personalities. I wanted to write about the relationship that young boys share with the game as they grow up in India. I was one among those countless boys that grew up on Cricket. In some ways, it is a story that many like me can identify with. So, I wanted to write about the relationship that an unknown cricketer shared with the sport of his love.


What type of research went into writing this book?

A lot of the content is from my own experiences. I have grown watching Cricket since I was 5 or 6 years old, so all those memories formed the basic content for the book. I used the internet to refurbish my memory with specifics to make sure the book is also accurate.


In terms of the complexity of the character and the nuances of the dialogues, the character development of whom was the most difficult in this book?

None of the Characters were a challenge as every one of us will know a Sat or a Sam or a Trib. However, if I have to choose one, it has to be Sat.


What are your favourite books? Can you share with our esteemed readers about the genres that you like and your favourite authors?

My all-time No.1 book is “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley. I enjoy reading books and content from eclectic genres. I don’t have a particular favourite as it is. It is seasonal. There was a certain phase when I was reading all mysteries, then another phase full of PG Wodehouse. PG Wodehouse, RK Narayan, Agatha Christie, Mary Shelley, Bill Bryson, Joseph Heller, Nassim Taleb are some of my favourite authors.


What are your other interests apart from writing?

I enjoy watching and following sports. Cricket and Tennis are my foremost interests. I write columns on websites like www.worldinsport.com about Cricket matches.


There are many new writers and poets who are aspiring to get their work published. What would you say to them?

First put pen to paper and complete the manuscript. Once you have a great manuscript ready get it beta read by your friends and take their views. Once you have finalized the content, get a good editor to help you fine tune the story and the content. Once you have a good product, approach publishing companies. Not before that!!


Can you share with our readers a motivational quote that keeps you going?

There is a quote from Pygmalion- “What is life but a series of inspired follies? The difficulty is to find them to do. Never lose a chance: it does not come every day.”